Late Night Secrets
by Lugia Smiles
Summary: Hermione and Ginny plan on watching films, but then long-hidden secrets begin to show.


Hermione Granger stared at the attractive young woman sitting beside her on the lounge. At 23, she'd broken things off with Ron well over a year ago, realizing they just didn't want the same things in life. He wanted a large family and a housewife, while Hermione was just beginning to realize how much her feelings for Ron were really misappropriated feelings for his younger sister.

Ginny Weasley, the younger sister in question, was staring avidly at Hermione's "tellaveeshon," something that had perpetually fascinated her father during her childhood.

"So, what are we watching tonight?" She asked, sorting through numerous video cases.

"Hmm, what about... Xena: Warrior Princess?"

"Fine by me! Lucy Lawless is _fit_. She's definitely my girl-crush." Hermione laughed.

"Sometimes I could almost think Ginny was interested in women." She mused. Following that train of thought, she spoke aloud. "Ginny, I remember back in Seventh Year, there were all those rumours about you and Angelina. Do you mind if I ask..." The unspoken question was clear.

"What-ever made you think of that?" Ginny laid the videos down on a sidetable and shifted to lean towards Hermione. "For someone usually so logical, that was certainly out of left field."

"You don't have to answer! I mean, I shouldn't have asked. I was just... curious." She inwardly cringed at the double-entendre.

"Of course I'll answer - you know I trust you more than anyone else in the world, Hermione. Angelina fancied me, it's true. I - I did - for a little while we..." Ginny's face was slowly turning the colour of her hair. "We fooled around for a month or two, that was all. I thought perhaps I fancied her, but we both realised my feelings were more admiration and curiosity in comparison to hers." Hermione could see a myriad of emotions flitting across Ginny's face. She waited, unsure of whether she had anything more to say. After a pause, she ventured to speak.

"So it _was_ Harry all along then?"

"Harry?" Ginny frowned at her. "At the time, I certainly thought so. But I... the reason we broke up so suddenly... the only thing I haven't told you..." She glanced away for a few seconds, then her mouth set in a line and she met Hermione's eyes firmly. "I don't fancy Harry, Hermione. I fancied what I thought I was supposed to want."

"Ah. I know the feeling. Victor Krum and all."

"But - I thought you - y'know..."

"No - no! We kissed a few times, all very chaste. He was, as my grandmother would say, a "perfect gentleman." Only she wouldn't mean it positively. I was only fourteen, after all!"

"Fair enough." Ginny laughed. "You're the only girl I know who wouldn't jump his bones at the first opportunity." For that comment, a cushion met her ribs.

"Keep that up, and I'll traumatise you with stories about Ron." Ginny pulled a face.

"Please, don't."

"Alright, alright." Hermione laughed. "There hasn't been anyone since Harry, has there?"

"Uh, no." Ginny looked mildly uncomfortable. "And Harry really... _wasn't_. If you get my meaning. I couldn't - we tried, but I - well, it just wasn't going to happen."

"Oh? I thought for _years_, barring Angelina..."

"I don't fancy men, Hermione." Ginny said this all very fast, and Hermione stared at her in surprise.

"I'm sorry - did you just say you're a lesbian?" Her eyebrows rose up to be completely lost in her bushy hair. "She likes women!" Hermione thought, stunned. "I mean, not me, but it's more than I dared hope for!"

"... yes? It wasn't that I didn't fancy women, Angelina just wasn't the right time, or the right girl." She stared worriedly at Hermione, who impulsively pulled her into a close embrace.

"It's perfectly fine, Ginny. Honestly. You never have to hide from me. And, uh, on that note..." Ginny tilted her head in question when their conversation stalled. Taking advantage of their closeness, Hermione closed the space between them to press her lips against Ginny's. Startled, the other girl pulled away, and stared at Hermione with wide eyes.

"I - but you're not - I mean, Ron! Surely you don't? Not _me?_"

"I think it was always you, Ginny." Hermione's voice was almost inaudible. "I know he's your brother, and Ron is a good young man. I mean this in the least dodgy way possible, but without me realising it, he was the closest thing to you I _could_ have? Trust me, the confusion that followed... not pleasant." Her smile was unusually twisted.

"But you're not - you're not like _me_, surely?"

"Do you have any idea how many times I've thought about _you_ like that, Ginny? For what it's worth, I loved Ron. It took me a very long time to realize that my love for him wasn't what it ought to be. When he started talking about marriage, and children, I - I panicked. It hit me just how much I _didn't_ see him the way he saw me. Where I saw a dear friend I could live with, he saw a wife. With all that being a wife entails. We dated for, what, a little over two years? ... We almost - just once - I thought if I just tried hard enough - but no - so, so I told him I wanted to wait until marriage." It was Hermione's turn to blush. "I never meant to hurt him, Ginny, I swear to you." Ginny was silent, and Hermione could feel her eyes watering.

"I understand, Hermione. I know Ron was upset for a while, but I understand."

"Really?"

"Really truly." She smiled at the bushy-haired girl. "And I believe somewhere in that ramble, about the time that you kissed me, I discovered that my best friend, the very girl I've been crazy about for the past few years, is interested not only in other women, but in me?" She lightly kissed the corner of Hermione's mouth. Hermione just nodded, for once at a loss for words. "So, I've got an idea. How about you and I forget about _these_," she waved her hand in the direction of the videos, "and spent some more time doing _this?"_ She kissed more forcefully this time, shifting to press their bodies together. Hermione squeaked.

"Ginny!"

"I'm sorry. That was too fast, wasn't it?" The younger girl looked contrite, yet the smile on her face was anything but.

"No, I just was just unprepared! I mean, what are we doing? Obviously we're both interested, but is that all there is? As cliched as it sounds, you're my best friend, and I didn't realize it was even possible to care this much about someone. I - I love you. I want a relationship, I want to tell my family about this, and most of all? I want _you_. Just and only you."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"You overthink things. And yet you miss the simplest things. I've already said it - I've been mad on you for years. I love you." Both girls were smiling shyly. "I don't know where this," she gestured to their current state of intimacy, "is planning on going right at this moment, but what-ever you're comfortable with is just fine by me. I'm happy to wait, if that's what you want. It's been several years, I'm sure a little longer won't do any harm." She winked, making Hermione chuckle.

"Honestly. Ginny Weasley, you really _are_ the limit! However..." she reached out and brushed a lock of hair behind Ginny's ear. "However," she repeated, "I quite like it."


End file.
